Kuzmić Anica, Filipec Manuela, Jakovljević Miro
Department of Physiotherapy, University North, Jurja Križanića 31b, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia.
School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Sep 18;13(18):2350. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13182350.
Physical activity, metacognitive awareness, and empathy are interconnected factors that play a significant role in the overall well-being of university students. Together, these elements contribute to the development of more self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and academically engaged students. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between physical activity, empathy, and metacognition among physiotherapy students, as well as determining whether differences exist between undergraduate and graduate students. A cross-sectional study evaluated 468 physiotherapy students using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short version, the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, and a shortened version of the Empathy Quotient supplemented with demographic questions. The respondents were students of undergraduate and graduate studies of physiotherapy, were male and female, and were between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Higher levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity, walking, and total physical activity are significantly associated with increases in Declarative Knowledge ( = 0.000; = 0.001; = 0.000), Empathy Quotient ( = 0.029; = 0.000; = 0.006), and Cognitive Empathy ( = 0.002; = 0.000; = 0.001). Undergraduate students demonstrated higher levels of Declarative Knowledge ( = 0.000), whereas graduate students scored higher in Procedural Knowledge ( = 0.020), Planning ( = 0.000), Information Management Strategies ( = 0.000), and Evaluation ( = 0.005). Undergraduate students demonstrated higher overall empathy, cognitive empathy, and social skills ( = 0.000). This is the first study to examine this issue in the context of physiotherapy students. Our findings highlight the importance of creating integrated programs that promote physical activity, metacognitive awareness, and empathy concurrently among physiotherapy students. Enhancing metacognitive skills through targeted educational strategies helps students strengthen their critical thinking and self-regulation, enhance academic outcomes, and better prepare students for their professional role.
体育活动、元认知意识和同理心是相互关联的因素，对大学生的整体幸福感起着重要作用。这些因素共同促进了更具自我意识、情商更高且学业参与度更高的学生的发展。本研究的目的是探讨物理治疗专业学生的体育活动、同理心和元认知之间的关系，以及确定本科生和研究生之间是否存在差异。一项横断面研究使用国际体育活动问卷简版、元认知意识量表和补充了人口统计学问题的同理心商数量表简版对468名物理治疗专业学生进行了评估。受访者为物理治疗专业本科和研究生，有男有女，年龄在18至25岁之间。高强度体育活动、步行和总体育活动水平的提高与陈述性知识的增加显著相关（P = 0.000；P = 0.001；P = 0.000）、同理心商数（P = 0.029；P = 0.000；P = 0.006）和认知同理心（P = 0.002；P = 0.000；P = 0.001）。本科生表现出更高水平的陈述性知识（P = 0.000），而研究生在程序性知识（P = 0.020）、计划（P = 0.000）、信息管理策略（P = 0.000）和评估（P = 0.005）方面得分更高。本科生表现出更高的整体同理心、认知同理心和社交技能（P = 0.000）。这是第一项在物理治疗专业学生背景下研究此问题的研究。我们的研究结果强调了创建综合项目的重要性，这些项目能同时促进物理治疗专业学生的体育活动、元认知意识和同理心。通过有针对性的教育策略提高元认知技能有助于学生加强批判性思维和自我调节能力，提高学业成绩，并更好地为其专业角色做好准备。
